AWS North Community Conference: Complexity, community and the spirit of the North East
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Arriving at The Catalyst in Newcastle, I was greeted by a relaxed and friendly team before joining an expectant crowd chatting away with colleagues and peers as they waited in anticipation for the start of this first-time event. This was the inaugural AWS North Community Conference, and you could sense that everyone in the building knew they were part of something new and exciting – a sentiment that was echoed by Sheen Brisals, the opening keynote speaker, who highlighted to delegates they were part of history, there, right at the start of something that would no doubt grow and develop into something special for the tech community.
For a region that’s long prided itself on its ingenuity and industrial strength, it felt fitting that this gathering of technologists, business leaders, developers and builders was happening here, in the heart of Newcastle. And the packed-out event really highlighted the vibrancy and scale of this sector in the North East.
The day opened with Steve Morland, whose welcome set the tone – this was more than just another tech conference; it was a celebration of community and a way to make great speakers, great insights and great learning opportunities more accessible to the people in the North East’s thriving tech sector.
“It’s so important that we invest in our people and keep tech talent in the region,” he told the audience.
Morland credited the AWS North User Group, a grassroots community that’s been quietly building momentum in the North East and bringing talent together regularly. Supported by local sponsors and tech employers, it’s a network that’s helping to keep skills, jobs, and energy in the region. And at this event, the results of that investment were plain to see: four packed rooms, great speakers, and a palpable sense of pride.
The opening keynote by Sheen Brisals was a part philosophy, part engineering masterclass. He began with the story of Holocaust survivor Eddie Jaku, who described the human body as “the best machine ever made,” and drew a striking parallel to how we should be designing and building technology – learning, adapting, and embracing complexity rather than avoiding it.
“Complexity isn’t the enemy,” Brisals argued. “It’s a necessity.” From aviation systems to food delivery apps, he showed that behind every seemingly simple task lies a web of interactions and systems. What matters is how we manage that complexity.
He urged the audience to understand the nature of their challenges and to approach each with discipline and boundaries. His message, though aimed at technologists, felt universal.
“Technology is just the enabler,” he said. “It’s the thinking behind it that matters.”
It was a powerful reminder that simplicity isn’t about dumbing things down; it’s about designing with purpose. It was an exceptional opening keynote that was both engaging and informative in equal measures and kept the delegation talking until well after lunch.
Next up I visited Track Two, where Jon Goodall brought those principles to life in a session that blended creativity and code. A Cloud Engineer and AWS Community Builder, Jon focused on a weekly podcast run by his company, Logicata. He outlined the ‘time-hungry’ process around planning, developing, editing, publishing and promoting each episode and presented the solution he developed to automate some of the more arduous tasks. Something which as a marketeer really resonated with me, once again reminding me that the technology we’re talking about today touches all sectors.
His talk traced that journey from manual effort to automated workflow using AWS tools. It was full of lessons for anyone trying to get more value from their time, but the key message was to experiment, iterate, and accept imperfection.
“Progress is better than perfection,” Goodall said to a roomful of nods.
It was a case study in practical innovation – the kind that any business could relate to and one that highlighted the power of automation to amplify effort, not replace it.
Ran Isenberg, AWS Serverless Hero and Principal Architect, talking at AWS North Community Conference
After the break which provided a coffee and a sugar hit – courtesy of Deep North’s amazing doughnuts and AWS’ serverlesspresso – the delegates returned to breakout sessions. Ran Isenberg’s talk, which was his first ever in the UK, turned out to be one of the day’s most thought-provoking. As an AWS Serverless Hero and Principal Software Architect atCyberArk, Isenberg was extremely well placed to explore how automation and AI are transforming software development.
The takeaway? Developers aren’t being replaced; they’re being liberated. By automating repetitive tasks, they can focus on what truly matters: solving business problems and delivering value.
His advice could have come from any agile business playbook. Start small, iterate quickly, and design with the end user in mind. The simplicity of those principles, backed by real-world examples, made the session one of the most memorable of the day for me.
After lunch provided by Fire and Dough and The Greekster – which was honestly some of the best food I’ve had the pleasure of eating at a conference – I went to listen to Ricardo Cino, an AWS Community Builder working with PostNL in the Netherlands. His team has built a fully serverless solution to manage more than 1.2 million parcels a day, including thousands delivered via automated lockers.
It’s the kind of technology most of us never think about but that we also use in our everyday lives. Cino’s presentation offered a rare glimpse into the invisible systems that make modern logistics possible. The challenges were immense: scaling, real-time data and third-party integration. But the message was simple, by owning their technology and building serverless from the ground up, PostNL reduced costs and increased agility.
It was one of those sessions that left the room quietly awed by the scale and precision behind an everyday convenience.
By the afternoon, the conversation had turned to a new kind of user: the AI agent. Allen Helton, AWS Hero and Postman Leader, tackled a fascinating shift – that APIs are no longer just serving developers, but intelligent systems that interact autonomously.
“Agents love what humans hate,” Helton said with a grin. “They love data.”
His talk unpacked what this means for API design in a world where AI tools are now consuming and interpreting data directly. Clarity, predictability, and strong standards aren’t optional anymore – they’re essential. It was a glimpse of the near future, where our software will increasingly talk to other software on our behalf.
With Brisals’ keynote opening the day on the theme of managing complexity, Luca Mezzalira’s closing session on modularity brought it full circle. He spoke about the importance of designing systems that can adapt as the technologies we use change, as well as highlighting the need to build both architectures and teams that can scale without breaking and evolve in line with business needs. It was a fitting finale to a day that had been rich with ideas, energy, and collaboration.
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What struck me most about AWS North Community Conference wasn’t just the quality of the speakers, although they were exceptional, or the breadth of knowledge on display, it was the spirit of the event. This was the North East’s tech community showing not just what it can do, but what makes it special. The community is curious, connected, and confident in the exceptional work they deliver, and this event was a clear demonstration of the power of the Northern tech sector in the UK.
In a world where London often dominates the tech headlines, AWS North Community Conference was a timely reminder that innovation doesn’t belong to any one postcode. It belongs to the people who turn up, share knowledge, and build together.
For a first-of-its-kind event, AWS North managed the balance perfectly, celebrating complexity, championing simplicity, and proving that the North’s tech story is only just beginning. This was the inaugural event, but one that should be a regular part of the tech conference calendar – and speaking to the organisers from Leighton, it sounds like it will be.
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Arriving at The Catalyst in Newcastle, I was greeted by a relaxed and friendly team before joining an expectant crowd chatting away with colleagues and peers as they waited in anticipation for the start of this first-time event. This was the inaugural AWS North Community Conference, and you could sense that everyone in the building knew they were part of something new and exciting – a sentiment that was echoed by Sheen Brisals, the opening keynote speaker, who highlighted to delegates they were part of history, there, right at the start of something that would no doubt grow and develop into something special for the tech community.
For a region that’s long prided itself on its ingenuity and industrial strength, it felt fitting that this gathering of technologists, business leaders, developers and builders was happening here, in the heart of Newcastle. And the packed-out event really highlighted the vibrancy and scale of this sector in the North East.
The day opened with Steve Morland, whose welcome set the tone – this was more than just another tech conference; it was a celebration of community and a way to make great speakers, great insights and great learning opportunities more accessible to the people in the North East’s thriving tech sector.
“It’s so important that we invest in our people and keep tech talent in the region,” he told the audience.
Morland credited the AWS North User Group, a grassroots community that’s been quietly building momentum in the North East and bringing talent together regularly. Supported by local sponsors and tech employers, it’s a network that’s helping to keep skills, jobs, and energy in the region. And at this event, the results of that investment were plain to see: four packed rooms, great speakers, and a palpable sense of pride.
The opening keynote by Sheen Brisals was a part philosophy, part engineering masterclass. He began with the story of Holocaust survivor Eddie Jaku, who described the human body as “the best machine ever made,” and drew a striking parallel to how we should be designing and building technology – learning, adapting, and embracing complexity rather than avoiding it.
“Complexity isn’t the enemy,” Brisals argued. “It’s a necessity.” From aviation systems to food delivery apps, he showed that behind every seemingly simple task lies a web of interactions and systems. What matters is how we manage that complexity.
He urged the audience to understand the nature of their challenges and to approach each with discipline and boundaries. His message, though aimed at technologists, felt universal.
“Technology is just the enabler,” he said. “It’s the thinking behind it that matters.”
It was a powerful reminder that simplicity isn’t about dumbing things down; it’s about designing with purpose. It was an exceptional opening keynote that was both engaging and informative in equal measures and kept the delegation talking until well after lunch.
Next up I visited Track Two, where Jon Goodall brought those principles to life in a session that blended creativity and code. A Cloud Engineer and AWS Community Builder, Jon focused on a weekly podcast run by his company, Logicata. He outlined the ‘time-hungry’ process around planning, developing, editing, publishing and promoting each episode and presented the solution he developed to automate some of the more arduous tasks. Something which as a marketeer really resonated with me, once again reminding me that the technology we’re talking about today touches all sectors.
His talk traced that journey from manual effort to automated workflow using AWS tools. It was full of lessons for anyone trying to get more value from their time, but the key message was to experiment, iterate, and accept imperfection.
“Progress is better than perfection,” Goodall said to a roomful of nods.
It was a case study in practical innovation – the kind that any business could relate to and one that highlighted the power of automation to amplify effort, not replace it.
Ran Isenberg, AWS Serverless Hero and Principal Architect, talking at AWS North Community Conference
After the break which provided a coffee and a sugar hit – courtesy of Deep North’s amazing doughnuts and AWS’ serverlesspresso – the delegates returned to breakout sessions. Ran Isenberg’s talk, which was his first ever in the UK, turned out to be one of the day’s most thought-provoking. As an AWS Serverless Hero and Principal Software Architect atCyberArk, Isenberg was extremely well placed to explore how automation and AI are transforming software development.
The takeaway? Developers aren’t being replaced; they’re being liberated. By automating repetitive tasks, they can focus on what truly matters: solving business problems and delivering value.
His advice could have come from any agile business playbook. Start small, iterate quickly, and design with the end user in mind. The simplicity of those principles, backed by real-world examples, made the session one of the most memorable of the day for me.
After lunch provided by Fire and Dough and The Greekster – which was honestly some of the best food I’ve had the pleasure of eating at a conference – I went to listen to Ricardo Cino, an AWS Community Builder working with PostNL in the Netherlands. His team has built a fully serverless solution to manage more than 1.2 million parcels a day, including thousands delivered via automated lockers.
It’s the kind of technology most of us never think about but that we also use in our everyday lives. Cino’s presentation offered a rare glimpse into the invisible systems that make modern logistics possible. The challenges were immense: scaling, real-time data and third-party integration. But the message was simple, by owning their technology and building serverless from the ground up, PostNL reduced costs and increased agility.
It was one of those sessions that left the room quietly awed by the scale and precision behind an everyday convenience.
By the afternoon, the conversation had turned to a new kind of user: the AI agent. Allen Helton, AWS Hero and Postman Leader, tackled a fascinating shift – that APIs are no longer just serving developers, but intelligent systems that interact autonomously.
“Agents love what humans hate,” Helton said with a grin. “They love data.”
His talk unpacked what this means for API design in a world where AI tools are now consuming and interpreting data directly. Clarity, predictability, and strong standards aren’t optional anymore – they’re essential. It was a glimpse of the near future, where our software will increasingly talk to other software on our behalf.
With Brisals’ keynote opening the day on the theme of managing complexity, Luca Mezzalira’s closing session on modularity brought it full circle. He spoke about the importance of designing systems that can adapt as the technologies we use change, as well as highlighting the need to build both architectures and teams that can scale without breaking and evolve in line with business needs. It was a fitting finale to a day that had been rich with ideas, energy, and collaboration.
What struck me most about AWS North Community Conference wasn’t just the quality of the speakers, although they were exceptional, or the breadth of knowledge on display, it was the spirit of the event. This was the North East’s tech community showing not just what it can do, but what makes it special. The community is curious, connected, and confident in the exceptional work they deliver, and this event was a clear demonstration of the power of the Northern tech sector in the UK.
In a world where London often dominates the tech headlines, AWS North Community Conference was a timely reminder that innovation doesn’t belong to any one postcode. It belongs to the people who turn up, share knowledge, and build together.
For a first-of-its-kind event, AWS North managed the balance perfectly, celebrating complexity, championing simplicity, and proving that the North’s tech story is only just beginning. This was the inaugural event, but one that should be a regular part of the tech conference calendar – and speaking to the organisers from Leighton, it sounds like it will be.
Arriving at The Catalyst in Newcastle, I was greeted by a relaxed and friendly team before joining an expectant crowd chatting away with colleagues and peers as they waited in anticipation for the start of this first-time event. This was the inaugural AWS North Community Conference, and you could sense that everyone in the building knew they were part of something new and exciting – a sentiment that was echoed by Sheen Brisals, the opening keynote speaker, who highlighted to delegates they were part of history, there, right at the start of something that would no doubt grow and develop into something special for the tech community.
For a region that’s long prided itself on its ingenuity and industrial strength, it felt fitting that this gathering of technologists, business leaders, developers and builders was happening here, in the heart of Newcastle. And the packed-out event really highlighted the vibrancy and scale of this sector in the North East.
The day opened with Steve Morland, whose welcome set the tone – this was more than just another tech conference; it was a celebration of community and a way to make great speakers, great insights and great learning opportunities more accessible to the people in the North East’s thriving tech sector.
“It’s so important that we invest in our people and keep tech talent in the region,” he told the audience.
Morland credited the AWS North User Group, a grassroots community that’s been quietly building momentum in the North East and bringing talent together regularly. Supported by local sponsors and tech employers, it’s a network that’s helping to keep skills, jobs, and energy in the region. And at this event, the results of that investment were plain to see: four packed rooms, great speakers, and a palpable sense of pride.
The opening keynote by Sheen Brisals was a part philosophy, part engineering masterclass. He began with the story of Holocaust survivor Eddie Jaku, who described the human body as “the best machine ever made,” and drew a striking parallel to how we should be designing and building technology – learning, adapting, and embracing complexity rather than avoiding it.
“Complexity isn’t the enemy,” Brisals argued. “It’s a necessity.” From aviation systems to food delivery apps, he showed that behind every seemingly simple task lies a web of interactions and systems. What matters is how we manage that complexity.
He urged the audience to understand the nature of their challenges and to approach each with discipline and boundaries. His message, though aimed at technologists, felt universal.
“Technology is just the enabler,” he said. “It’s the thinking behind it that matters.”
It was a powerful reminder that simplicity isn’t about dumbing things down; it’s about designing with purpose. It was an exceptional opening keynote that was both engaging and informative in equal measures and kept the delegation talking until well after lunch.
Next up I visited Track Two, where Jon Goodall brought those principles to life in a session that blended creativity and code. A Cloud Engineer and AWS Community Builder, Jon focused on a weekly podcast run by his company, Logicata. He outlined the ‘time-hungry’ process around planning, developing, editing, publishing and promoting each episode and presented the solution he developed to automate some of the more arduous tasks. Something which as a marketeer really resonated with me, once again reminding me that the technology we’re talking about today touches all sectors.
His talk traced that journey from manual effort to automated workflow using AWS tools. It was full of lessons for anyone trying to get more value from their time, but the key message was to experiment, iterate, and accept imperfection.
“Progress is better than perfection,” Goodall said to a roomful of nods.
It was a case study in practical innovation – the kind that any business could relate to and one that highlighted the power of automation to amplify effort, not replace it.
Ran Isenberg, AWS Serverless Hero and Principal Architect, talking at AWS North Community Conference
After the break which provided a coffee and a sugar hit – courtesy of Deep North’s amazing doughnuts and AWS’ serverlesspresso – the delegates returned to breakout sessions. Ran Isenberg’s talk, which was his first ever in the UK, turned out to be one of the day’s most thought-provoking. As an AWS Serverless Hero and Principal Software Architect atCyberArk, Isenberg was extremely well placed to explore how automation and AI are transforming software development.
The takeaway? Developers aren’t being replaced; they’re being liberated. By automating repetitive tasks, they can focus on what truly matters: solving business problems and delivering value.
His advice could have come from any agile business playbook. Start small, iterate quickly, and design with the end user in mind. The simplicity of those principles, backed by real-world examples, made the session one of the most memorable of the day for me.
After lunch provided by Fire and Dough and The Greekster – which was honestly some of the best food I’ve had the pleasure of eating at a conference – I went to listen to Ricardo Cino, an AWS Community Builder working with PostNL in the Netherlands. His team has built a fully serverless solution to manage more than 1.2 million parcels a day, including thousands delivered via automated lockers.
It’s the kind of technology most of us never think about but that we also use in our everyday lives. Cino’s presentation offered a rare glimpse into the invisible systems that make modern logistics possible. The challenges were immense: scaling, real-time data and third-party integration. But the message was simple, by owning their technology and building serverless from the ground up, PostNL reduced costs and increased agility.
It was one of those sessions that left the room quietly awed by the scale and precision behind an everyday convenience.
By the afternoon, the conversation had turned to a new kind of user: the AI agent. Allen Helton, AWS Hero and Postman Leader, tackled a fascinating shift – that APIs are no longer just serving developers, but intelligent systems that interact autonomously.
“Agents love what humans hate,” Helton said with a grin. “They love data.”
His talk unpacked what this means for API design in a world where AI tools are now consuming and interpreting data directly. Clarity, predictability, and strong standards aren’t optional anymore – they’re essential. It was a glimpse of the near future, where our software will increasingly talk to other software on our behalf.
With Brisals’ keynote opening the day on the theme of managing complexity, Luca Mezzalira’s closing session on modularity brought it full circle. He spoke about the importance of designing systems that can adapt as the technologies we use change, as well as highlighting the need to build both architectures and teams that can scale without breaking and evolve in line with business needs. It was a fitting finale to a day that had been rich with ideas, energy, and collaboration.
What struck me most about AWS North Community Conference wasn’t just the quality of the speakers, although they were exceptional, or the breadth of knowledge on display, it was the spirit of the event. This was the North East’s tech community showing not just what it can do, but what makes it special. The community is curious, connected, and confident in the exceptional work they deliver, and this event was a clear demonstration of the power of the Northern tech sector in the UK.
In a world where London often dominates the tech headlines, AWS North Community Conference was a timely reminder that innovation doesn’t belong to any one postcode. It belongs to the people who turn up, share knowledge, and build together.
For a first-of-its-kind event, AWS North managed the balance perfectly, celebrating complexity, championing simplicity, and proving that the North’s tech story is only just beginning. This was the inaugural event, but one that should be a regular part of the tech conference calendar – and speaking to the organisers from Leighton, it sounds like it will be.
Arriving at The Catalyst in Newcastle, I was greeted by a relaxed and friendly team before joining an expectant crowd chatting away with colleagues and peers as they waited in anticipation for the start of this first-time event. This was the inaugural AWS North Community Conference, and you could sense that everyone in the building knew they were part of something new and exciting – a sentiment that was echoed by Sheen Brisals, the opening keynote speaker, who highlighted to delegates they were part of history, there, right at the start of something that would no doubt grow and develop into something special for the tech community.
For a region that’s long prided itself on its ingenuity and industrial strength, it felt fitting that this gathering of technologists, business leaders, developers and builders was happening here, in the heart of Newcastle. And the packed-out event really highlighted the vibrancy and scale of this sector in the North East.
The day opened with Steve Morland, whose welcome set the tone – this was more than just another tech conference; it was a celebration of community and a way to make great speakers, great insights and great learning opportunities more accessible to the people in the North East’s thriving tech sector.
“It’s so important that we invest in our people and keep tech talent in the region,” he told the audience.
Morland credited the AWS North User Group, a grassroots community that’s been quietly building momentum in the North East and bringing talent together regularly. Supported by local sponsors and tech employers, it’s a network that’s helping to keep skills, jobs, and energy in the region. And at this event, the results of that investment were plain to see: four packed rooms, great speakers, and a palpable sense of pride.
The opening keynote by Sheen Brisals was a part philosophy, part engineering masterclass. He began with the story of Holocaust survivor Eddie Jaku, who described the human body as “the best machine ever made,” and drew a striking parallel to how we should be designing and building technology – learning, adapting, and embracing complexity rather than avoiding it.
“Complexity isn’t the enemy,” Brisals argued. “It’s a necessity.” From aviation systems to food delivery apps, he showed that behind every seemingly simple task lies a web of interactions and systems. What matters is how we manage that complexity.
He urged the audience to understand the nature of their challenges and to approach each with discipline and boundaries. His message, though aimed at technologists, felt universal.
“Technology is just the enabler,” he said. “It’s the thinking behind it that matters.”
It was a powerful reminder that simplicity isn’t about dumbing things down; it’s about designing with purpose. It was an exceptional opening keynote that was both engaging and informative in equal measures and kept the delegation talking until well after lunch.
Next up I visited Track Two, where Jon Goodall brought those principles to life in a session that blended creativity and code. A Cloud Engineer and AWS Community Builder, Jon focused on a weekly podcast run by his company, Logicata. He outlined the ‘time-hungry’ process around planning, developing, editing, publishing and promoting each episode and presented the solution he developed to automate some of the more arduous tasks. Something which as a marketeer really resonated with me, once again reminding me that the technology we’re talking about today touches all sectors.
His talk traced that journey from manual effort to automated workflow using AWS tools. It was full of lessons for anyone trying to get more value from their time, but the key message was to experiment, iterate, and accept imperfection.
“Progress is better than perfection,” Goodall said to a roomful of nods.
It was a case study in practical innovation – the kind that any business could relate to and one that highlighted the power of automation to amplify effort, not replace it.
Ran Isenberg, AWS Serverless Hero and Principal Architect, talking at AWS North Community Conference
After the break which provided a coffee and a sugar hit – courtesy of Deep North’s amazing doughnuts and AWS’ serverlesspresso – the delegates returned to breakout sessions. Ran Isenberg’s talk, which was his first ever in the UK, turned out to be one of the day’s most thought-provoking. As an AWS Serverless Hero and Principal Software Architect atCyberArk, Isenberg was extremely well placed to explore how automation and AI are transforming software development.
The takeaway? Developers aren’t being replaced; they’re being liberated. By automating repetitive tasks, they can focus on what truly matters: solving business problems and delivering value.
His advice could have come from any agile business playbook. Start small, iterate quickly, and design with the end user in mind. The simplicity of those principles, backed by real-world examples, made the session one of the most memorable of the day for me.
After lunch provided by Fire and Dough and The Greekster – which was honestly some of the best food I’ve had the pleasure of eating at a conference – I went to listen to Ricardo Cino, an AWS Community Builder working with PostNL in the Netherlands. His team has built a fully serverless solution to manage more than 1.2 million parcels a day, including thousands delivered via automated lockers.
It’s the kind of technology most of us never think about but that we also use in our everyday lives. Cino’s presentation offered a rare glimpse into the invisible systems that make modern logistics possible. The challenges were immense: scaling, real-time data and third-party integration. But the message was simple, by owning their technology and building serverless from the ground up, PostNL reduced costs and increased agility.
It was one of those sessions that left the room quietly awed by the scale and precision behind an everyday convenience.
By the afternoon, the conversation had turned to a new kind of user: the AI agent. Allen Helton, AWS Hero and Postman Leader, tackled a fascinating shift – that APIs are no longer just serving developers, but intelligent systems that interact autonomously.
“Agents love what humans hate,” Helton said with a grin. “They love data.”
His talk unpacked what this means for API design in a world where AI tools are now consuming and interpreting data directly. Clarity, predictability, and strong standards aren’t optional anymore – they’re essential. It was a glimpse of the near future, where our software will increasingly talk to other software on our behalf.
With Brisals’ keynote opening the day on the theme of managing complexity, Luca Mezzalira’s closing session on modularity brought it full circle. He spoke about the importance of designing systems that can adapt as the technologies we use change, as well as highlighting the need to build both architectures and teams that can scale without breaking and evolve in line with business needs. It was a fitting finale to a day that had been rich with ideas, energy, and collaboration.
What struck me most about AWS North Community Conference wasn’t just the quality of the speakers, although they were exceptional, or the breadth of knowledge on display, it was the spirit of the event. This was the North East’s tech community showing not just what it can do, but what makes it special. The community is curious, connected, and confident in the exceptional work they deliver, and this event was a clear demonstration of the power of the Northern tech sector in the UK.
In a world where London often dominates the tech headlines, AWS North Community Conference was a timely reminder that innovation doesn’t belong to any one postcode. It belongs to the people who turn up, share knowledge, and build together.
For a first-of-its-kind event, AWS North managed the balance perfectly, celebrating complexity, championing simplicity, and proving that the North’s tech story is only just beginning. This was the inaugural event, but one that should be a regular part of the tech conference calendar – and speaking to the organisers from Leighton, it sounds like it will be.
